Broil

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Grilled marinated Skirt Steak with Bell Peppers, Onions, and Flour Tortillas)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Thai Eggplant Salad) Thai dishes known as yams are often translated into English as "salads", perhaps for lack of a better word. Like salads, yams are often served at room temperature and include fresh herbs and raw vegetables. Unlike salads, however, which Westerners often eat to refresh their palates, yams are anything but shy in flavor. In Thailand they are often served when people get together for a glass of beer and want something to nibble on. In this yam, Asian eggplants - long and narrow and ranging from deep purple to pale violet - are broiled and tossed with shallots, Vietnamese coriander, and a dressing that is at once salty, sour, spicy, and slightly sweet. After you have made the salad once, you may want to experiment with the balance of seasonings, perhaps increasing the chili heat. Vietnamese coriander is known in Vietnam as rau ram and in Thailand as pak chi wietnam. It is usually sold in open bunches or in cellophane and can be found at Vietnamese and Thai markets.

This frittata-like preparation, called maakouda, can be made with meat, chicken, fish or vegetables. Served hot or cold, it is a standard Tunisian hors d'oeuvre, but is also great for brunch, lunch or supper. The eggplant is broiled, not fried, so it does not absorb a lot of oil.

Although most of the molasses imported by the Colonies in the seventeenth century was used to make rum, some found its way into the kitchen. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The warm goat cheese toasts make delicious croutons for the salad, but they would also be an easy hors d'oeuvre.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.